Impossible
by heystella
Summary: Narita Shinogu and Yagi Asahi. Theirs is a love that can never be... or is it? Chapter 5 added 21 Feb 2010
1. Pretense

Impossible: Pretense  
Rated T  
Words: 157  
Theme #: 20. that person  
Summary: Asahi likes pretending. (Rated for a slightly citrusy scene.)

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Sometimes when Shinogu smiles at her, she can tell it's a real smile. At the same time, she knows the smile is not for her. Regardless of that fact, she likes to pretend it is.

There are times when Shinogu holds her tightly in his arms, clinging desperately to her as if she will vanish if he lets her go. These times, too, he is not looking at her, but at the woman he's always loved. Again, she likes to pretend she is the subject of his affections.

Often they end up in his bedroom, devoid of any clothes as their heated bodies collide in sin. He is the one she loves, yet there is another in his eyes as he slides himself into her. Even now, she does not mind being viewed as someone else.

Nevertheless, one day, when he makes the mistake of actually calling her by name, Asahi discovers that indeed, she is not Narita Hatsumi.

end.


	2. New Beginnings

Impossible: New Beginnings  
Rated K  
Words: 97 (I'm telling you right now that I write A LOT of drabbles. I'm working on lengthening my works out to be considered oneshots, but again, I write tons of ficlets.)  
Theme: # 30. haircut  
Summary: Shinogu wishes that Asahi didn't cut her hair for once.

Today, Shinogu notices that Asahi has a new haircut.

Of course, Asahi is style-saavy. Naturally the cut is a good choice. She has always made good decisions regarding her hair.

Today, though, something is different. Something is special. At the same time, he feels as if his heart will burst any second.

She turns around, nearly facing him, and smiles widely. "Watanabe-kun's picking me up!"

His eyes are elsewhere as she passes him, and starts to wish that she didn't cut her hair.

He is well aware that haircuts are for new beginnings.

End. 


	3. Routine

Impossible: Routine  
Rated K+  
Words: 251  
Theme: #90. disappear  
Summary: Shinogu wakes up assuming Asahi will be there.

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She is always beside him.

When Hatsumi and Tachibana are married, she is the one to reassuringly squeeze his hand and keep him from breaking down during the ceremony.

When he finally does break down outside during the reception, she welcomes him in her small arms and offers her comforts.

When he drinks himself away after learning of Hatsumi's pregnancy, it is she who takes responsibility by temporarily moving into his apartment and making sure his health stays intact.

In the mornings, she is always up before he is and is usually found cooking breakfast in his kitchen. She is not the best cook, but it makes no difference to him.

During their lunch hours, they meet at a café about 10 minutes walking distance from his apartment (nowadays, though, he considers it more _theirs_) and they chat over sandwich and soup.

In the evenings, she comes home from a long day at the salon and makes dinner for them both to enjoy over a comedic news broadcast.

Every day, without fail. It is just like clockwork.

By now he is used to it. Unconsciously, he heals. As time passes, he starts to think less about Tachibana Hatsumi. I will repay Asahi somehow, he thinks, as he drifts off to sleep.

It is the least he can do to thank her for loving him with such unshakeable devotion.

It comes as a slap in the face when he cannot find her the next morning.

End.


	4. Utopia Dashed

Impossible: Utopia Dashed  
Rated T  
Words: 511  
Theme #: 48. rain  
Summary: In the middle of a rainy night, Asahi gives Shinogu the freedom he wasn't sure he wanted.

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She appeared on his doorstep around one in the morning, soaked to the bone and not seeming to care one little bit.

After some appropriate scolding on his part (just for the sake of formalities really), he sat her down on the couch, placed a steaming cup of tea in front of her, and retrieved some towels and a set of dry clothes.

Still she stared into nothing and the blank, wide-eyed expression she wore stayed in place.

"Asahi?" he tried, placing a hand on her shoulder. No response, not even a blink. "Asahi? What's wrong?"

Her mouth opened and closed several times like a fish, yet the words failed to come.

His brow furrowed. Why was she out in the rain in the first place? Without taking his eyes off her, his hand reached for one of the towels. It was around her shoulders soon enough.

Leaden silence echoed around them.

Shinogu bit his lip and tried to ignore the apprehension that was steadily creeping up his back. What had happened to get Asahi in such a state? Normally she was as bubbly and cheerful as anyone could possibly get. What was wrong?

His fingers traveled from her shoulders up to her neck, her ears, her cheeks. There was only one thing he could do now that she had proven that she wouldn't respond to anything else. With her chin cradled in his fingers like a fragile thing, he lowered his face to hers.

Her lips were cold, unbelievably cold. If it weren't for the steady rise and fall of her chest, which moved in rhythm with his as he had begun to pull her towards him, it would be as if he were kissing a corpse. It was only when he began probing her bottom lip when she pulled back and pushed him away.

But still, that dead, blank look in her eyes. Then she craned her neck to look up at him and held out a fist. Unconsciously he opened his palm underneath her fist. Her grip loosened, and a ring dropped into his hand.

Her ring.

The ring that he had given her.

Their promise ring.

He looked at her, alarmed. "Asahi, this is…"

She looked at him sadly, and for the first time in his life, he was at a complete loss as to what to do. After all… she looked completely miserable.

His fingers tightened around the ring. "This is yours. I gave it to you, remember?" Without another word, he had taken her hand and the ring was back to its place on her right ring finger.

"…No more."

Shinogu froze.

"I can't take it anymore," her voice, usually bright and chirpy, was strained. "You can stop pretending."

The ring dropped to the cream colored carpet, and in the blink of an eye she bolted for the door, escaping once again into the night.

By the time it registered to Shinogu that she had left, he could no longer hear the splash of her footsteps. He sat there for hours and his eyes remained glued to the open door as if willing her to come back, but she never did.

The rain continued to fall.

End.


	5. Symptoms

Impossible: Symptoms  
Rated PG  
Words: 259  
Theme #: 24. terminal illness  
Summary: There was no way around it and no escape tricks -- she was done in.  
A/N: I'd like to note that posting this is NOT a commitment to finishing up the challenge on a fixed schedule. I'll just be writing these as I get inspired.

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She thought it was a mere fever at first. Her temperature would shoot through the roof, and her heart would beat so fast she thought it would drum right out from her ribcage. And when her heart wasn't trying to escape from her chest, it still fluttered every so often. That definitely was not normal.

Then there was the dizziness, which came on only during those accidental brushes. She would become completely disoriented and she recalled falling -- as well as the need to stay down to right her mind.

"I don't know what to do," Asahi wailed. "Please, Doctor. Cure me, I beg you."

The older female made a strange face, and Asahi wasn't sure how to interpret it. "I'm afraid it's too late, Yagi-san."

"What do you mean? What kind of doctor are you if you can't -- "

"I cannot heal lovesickness."

Blank stare.

"You said that these 'symptoms' only show up when this person you've mentioned is around... correct?"

Oh.

OH.

...Well crap.

It all made sense now. How was she supposed to know what falling in love felt like? He had always been just a friend to her -- at least until just recently, when _something_ changed and all of a sudden she was tripping all over herself when he was around.

Asahi heaved a sigh. So that was it. Love. And a love that would never be returned, no doubt. She would just have to prepare herself and accept it. There was no way around it and no escape tricks -- she was done in.

end.


End file.
